Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez’s planned cruiserweight title defense against Robin Safar will no longer take place on January 16 as scheduled. According to sources cited by The Ring, Safar suffered an injury to his right hand during the fifth round of his most recent fight in November and will not be medically ready to compete in January.
Safar is open to rescheduling the bout for February 21 on the undercard of Ryan Garcia vs. Mario Barrios. However, uncertainty remains over whether Ramirez would agree to delay the defense, as he is already slated to face David Benavidez on May 2. With that major fight on the horizon, Ramirez’s immediate schedule may leave little room for postponement.
If the title fight cannot be rebooked, Safar has expressed interest in alternative matchups, naming Chris Billam-Smith and Ryan Rozicki as potential opponents. Like Ramirez, Safar is promoted by Golden Boy, which could ease negotiations for a replacement bout.
The 32-year-old Safar, who fights out of Las Vegas, emerged as a serious cruiserweight contender in May 2024 when he upset former champion Sergey Kovalev by decision in Riyadh, dropping Kovalev in the final round. He currently holds an undefeated record of 18-0 with 13 knockouts and is ranked No. 9 at cruiserweight by The Ring.
Ramirez, 34, enters 2026 as The Ring’s No. 1-ranked cruiserweight contender, with a record of 48-1 (30 KOs). He last fought in June, earning a unanimous decision over Yuniel Dorticos before undergoing shoulder surgery. Meanwhile, the January 16 DAZN card in Palm Desert, California, will still go ahead, headlined by the rematch between Alexis Rocha and Raul Curiel.
Image Credit: The Ring